One-to-One

[Pete]

My new coaching role is one-to-one on technique and turns. The swimmers I take seem to benefit in many ways including confidence and morale boosting.;)

How often do you have opportunities for one-to-one?
What benefits do you get?
What do you like or don't like about it?:idea:

[ktcute]

How do you mean one-to-one? Just one swimmer for you to keep an eye on for a session? Or several sessions in a row? Do you get to take a swimmer off for a session by themselves?

I'm afraid that too much coaching gets on my nerves! I have trouble remembering everything at once, and on the whole I'm a private kind of person, so I find it a bit invasive to have someone peering at me all the time. I guess I'm a grown up, so its a bit different than with kids. I'm also fairly fresh back to training (about 6 months), and I'm still trying to adjust to having someone coach me at all, when I'm used to buzzing up and down by myself.

Its funny, I find that with the front crawl at the moment, I am trying to remember 5 things at once, and end up applying them one at a time, in a kind of sequence. Bizarre!

I'm sure it will work great with some people, but right now I'm not sure it would work out so well for me. I'd have to trust the person concerned a lot!!!

[chris_lamb]

Originally posted by ktcute
I guess I'm a grown up, so its a bit different than with kids.

Interesting that you say this. If there are adults that don't like that sort of attention, does it not follow that there would be some kids who also don't like it but wouldn't say anything?

[Pete]

With the swimmers I have coached over the last few weeks all have been keen to learn, ask questions and go away with positive outlook. When a swimmer has started to lack concentration I bring the session to a close and they go back to their squad. If a swimmer does not want a one-to-one situation I would assume they are not sent to me by their squad coach. All I have met is enthusiastic swimmers wanting to be there. Remember I stated technique work and this requires feedback from the swimmer about how they are finding changes. All swimming is over short distances usually in the teaching pool. Swimmer's ages: 10-14.

[tinie]

never my head coach dont care about my squad sound harsh but he doesnt wer just the swimmers he only swims us when his a squad swimmers are ill or to fast for that particula gala

[nsswimmer]

i LOVE gettin individual attention cuz i will seriously do ANYTHING to improve my swimming!! :D

my old coach gave me exactly the amount of attention i needed, telling me what i could improve on, telling me what i was doing right, noticing when i was working extra hard in a set, etc etc. i miss him so much!!

my new coach sits in a room and does paperwork :( and he knows nothin bout swimming!! huKS. after meets, he doesnt give feedback or anything, and it's so frustrating because i dont know what i hafta work on and stuff!! grr..

[ktcute]

I made the comment about kids largely because of training I've done about leading games with youngsters and adults. Adults are more wary of physical contact, and I just wonder if this extends to close attention as well.

Yup, I'm quite sure some kids won't like it, and won't say, but to be honest the same extends to adults as well. I'm not usually very polite if I don't like something... ;), but at least I'm clear.

I actually think its a really good idea for those who want it/like it, I'm sure the kids will benefit lots, its worked in teaching out of the water for years and years, so why shouldn't it work in swimming? I guess you just have to be sensitive about it.

[super_fish88]

I've never had a one-to-one session. I think i'd enjoy it if i liked the coach but if it was someone who i didn't really like i'd probable get annoyed at having someone watching me all the time! If i wasn't enjoying it i'd tell the coach because otherwise i'd just be wasting my time and theirs.

[tinie]

my head coach only dose one to one with the a swimmers dosent seem intrested in me or some of the others in my squad its like were just the extras to help with the mony side on things i would like to have one to ones then id know wht i was doing worng and what i need to improve but hey im not incharge he he is

[super_fish88]

Erm, if your coach is so bad why don't you swap clubs? I'm sure there are more clubs in your area...

[nsswimmer]

yea i think so too. even if you have to drive a lot more, reading your posts, it sounds as if it would definitely worth it...

[ktcute]

The trouble with that is in england at least there tends to be only one decent swimming club within reasonable distance of most people. You have to remember as well getting yourself to a club usually depends on having willing parents, who are often the deciding factor in how much training kids are able to do.

Tinie... I wonder what the reasons are for your head coach devoting so much time to his a squad. Maybe you might be able to make it up into that squad at some point in the future. Presumably you have other coaches who look after you guys, can you talk to them about how you feel? You obviously love your swimming, but it seems like you are getting held back by how you feel about your club at the moment.

Its always possible to improve, but you might have to work really hard at it... you need to show that coach that he needs to be giving you some time as well. What is it that you feel you need to work on most, out of interest?

[nsswimmer]

how much is "reasonable distance?" sorry, i dont mean to be impudent, i'm honestly curious :p hehe

there's this guy who's on my old team.. every night, he drove four hours both ways to get to practice which i think wuz kinda crazy as there were perfectly good clubs right by where he lived xP but it sure paid off as he broke a 15-year-old state 200 free record as a sophomore last year! hehe~

[Pete]

Tinie the record is starting to wear a bit thin on the hard done by stakes in various threads. Without wishing to offend, you need to get a more positive attitude to your swimming. Perhaps people will then start to take notice of your achievements. If you are keen to succeed find someone prepared to give you some One-to-One privately. It might be the start of the break through you are looking for but it does come at a cost.

[tinie]

nsswimmer & super_fish88--- i dont move because the next club nerest to me woul be oxford and theat a 1 houre dive there n back and i dont think theyd want to take me on as a swimmer as it is

ktcute--- iv been in my squad since i was 11 and im now 16 theres no way he will admit that he was wrong with his picked swimmers even tho they hav all left, i need to work on me kik espically and my cv but with the traning i get it wont happen

Pete-- the problem is i was good and then i was held back a year because i wasnt good enought, yet i was doing the same times as every one that had been moved, i was then told buy my mate i would never make it as a sports person let alone a swimmer and then put in to a squad that the coach doesnt care about its kind of hared to be positive when your coach doesnt seem to care any more.

i would love to be good at just one thing i love but it never seems to work iv recently benn thinking about giveing up swimming because no one seems to bother with me "o its only tine she wont mide if she not swum in a gala well just swimm ppl up instead" but i do mind n i tell them all te time im gona start taking il seriosly now wearther to giv up on the one sport i love it just seem to get me down soo much n i dont know how to pick my self up and tell them were to shuv it, i dont wana giv up but it looks like the only thing i could do to not be down my self convidence has started to pick up again but still it get me down just thinking that hed rather wib than let the swimmers swin in there ownm age group and moving cubs just isnt an option

[super_fish88]

Originally posted by nsswimmer
how much is "reasonable distance?" sorry, i dont mean to be impudent, i'm honestly curious :p hehe

there's this guy who's on my old team.. every night, he drove four hours both ways to get to practice which i think wuz kinda crazy as there were perfectly good clubs right by where he lived xP but it sure paid off as he broke a 15-year-old state 200 free record as a sophomore last year! hehe~

I'd never drive 4 hours just to go to training! Oh well, i suppose it definately did pay off in the end. The longest anyone drives to training from my club is 2 and a half hours there and back. It takes me 10 minutes!

[rogant stard]

Originally posted by tinie
i would love to be good at just one thing i love...

Ever thought of taking up water polo.....?

[Unfit]

tinie,
i have to agree with pete. i've heard you complain about your coach several times on this forum. i don't know how old you are but you need to grow up and realise that nothing is going to change until you do something about it. you need to sit down with your coach (and your parents if you're as young as your style of writing suggests) and discuss the problems you're having and how these can be solved. if you do this in the correct way then it can only have a positive effect and you can then concentrate on your swimming. so, for example you go to your coach with the things you'd like to improve and how you see your coach helping. eg - i want to improve my cv, can you arrange for me to.... or i'm aware my kick on this stroke isn't very good at the moment, can you give me some specific exercises to strengthen it... or i feel like i'd benefit from having some one-to-one sessions with you to have a look at my strokes and see where i can improve. done like this your coach can only help (but, just incase they turn out to be a complete idot, make sure you have an impartial person there to witness the meeting and act as a concilliator if required, then it won't be your word against your coach about what was said in the meeting). i hope to hear soon in the forum that you've had a meeting. good luck.

[nsswimmer]

hey tinie~ =)

i think that if you're unhappy where you are, it's just wasting your time, you know? i think that you basically have two options here:

1) do what unfit suggested and approach your coach rationally and professionally, so he simply cannot turn your requests down. as a coach, he is obligated to help you if you ask for it.

2) go to another team. i realize you stated before that this "just isnt an option," however, i believe that if you really want to get far in swimming and really want to improve, then the hour driving there and back is completely worth it. correct me if i'm wrong, but i recall you saying before that your parents know about this situation with your coach, but he wont listen to them. in that case, i'm sure they would support you moving to another team and be glad to drive you that one extra hour. there's plenty of families who drive more than an hour to get to my club! it's not too bad, i hafta do it too =)

i hope you feel better and decide to do something about this situation. g'luQ!! :D

[lane4]

Originally posted by nsswimmer
my new coach sits in a room and does paperwork :( and he knows nothin bout swimming!! huKS. after meets, he doesnt give feedback or anything, and it's so frustrating because i dont know what i hafta work on and stuff!! grr..


Perhaps you should tell him that you will do ANYTHING to improve?

[GettingFaster]

Originally posted by Unfit
... you go to your coach with the things you'd like to improve and how you see your coach helping. eg - i want to improve my cv, can you arrange for me to.... or i'm aware my kick on this stroke isn't very good at the moment, can you give me some specific exercises to strengthen it... or i feel like i'd benefit from having some one-to-one sessions with you to have a look at my strokes and see where i can improve. done like this your coach can only help ...

Unfit,
What a good, positive suggestion - This approach can be used by anyone who's committed to improving their swimming, whatever the coach is like and whether the swimmer is in their bad or good books.

Coaches like to see swimmers who can think for themselves about what needs to be improved about their swimming (I'm not a coach but I've spoken to one or two). It shows that the swimmer is actually thinking about what they do, not just swimming up and down with their brains turned off. It then does put the onus on the coach to actually come up with suggestions, but unless the coach is missing the point completely they will usually come up with something to work on.

Show the kind of attitude suggested by Unfit and coaches will be more than happy (most of the time) to make at least some suggestions to help.

Final tip: don't just go in with a blanket question, "I'm crap, what do I have to do to get better?" or the coach will just reply with an equally vague response, "train." ;)

[tinie]

nsswimmer-- its not that fact of how long it takes getting there its just when there traning sessions are im at collage 9 till 5 during the week and i wouldnt hav time to get home eat and than go to traning i just dont hav the time for that were by staying were i am i hav a little time befor i go becides my mum has said if there was a club closer than the 1 im at i would be at it and they dont tranin in the same place each time so i think ill just hav to talk to him again and see what he says this time

[ktcute]

i believe that if you really want to get far in swimming and really want to improve, then the hour driving there and back is completely worth it.

There is a<b>big</b> cultute gap between what people will do for sport in the uk and what they will do for sport in the us. I think we need to realise that the US puts a huge amount of time money and effort into its sports, and that it is an ingrained part of the culture. Here its often more cool to be in the pub than on the pitch, and most parents can't imagine a future for their kids in sport, unless its in football. Hence the lack of enthusiasm for taking their kids...

Maybe you might want to ask your coach why it is that you are still in the squad you are in. I'm concerned that "telling you off" isn't going to help you. Ordering someone to have a more positive attitude is very rarely going to work I suspect, and may just make them more negative towards what they are doing, which in this instance isn't going to make a scrap of difference.
I agree on one level though, that you need to find something positive to take home from swimming.

How much do you put into your swimming outside of your club environment? Do you keep a training diary? Are you trying to find out as much as you can for yourself about training methods, and ways to help yourself. If you are old enough to be at college, you are old enough to take some responsibility for your own swimming. If other people won't help you, stuff 'em. Help yourself. At the end of the day, its not actually your coach who is going to get you to go faster in the water, the buck stops with you.

[Pete]

The sceptics on this subject are concerned about the thought of one-to-one. Well the swimmers where I am involved are pleading with the Head Coach to be next. The reason? They want to benefit. Why? I will give them 100%, like most coaches.
Ktcute? It is all positive. I'm happy, the swimmers are happy, those not interested (not found anyone yet) don't need to get involved.
I had a great 2 hours coaching tonight:four very happy swimmers and a Head Coach with a big grin.
Is this one of the ways forward? Technique, Technique, Technique!

[tinie]

peat mabye you could give my head coach some pointers

[Pete]

Always willing to help. PM or e-mail me.

[Pete]

What a kind chap!
I would imagine the coach has to have a very different approach when coaching one swimmer.